Packed to the Rafters was an Australian family-oriented comedy drama television program which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show continued on Tuesdays in this timeslot for its entire run. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and life issues, while also tackling serious social issues. The Logie award winning series was the highest rating to screen on the Seven Network in 2008, and the show was consistently among the top 5 shows of the year throughout its run in Australia.
TV Week announced 2013 that the sixth series of Packed to the Rafters would be the last, with Hugh Sheridan stating, "It's emotional letting go of Rafters – for all of us. It was such an amazing chapter in Aussie TV. I'm really proud we all came back together to send it off." The two-hour finale of Rafters aired on 2 July 2013, and saw the return of Hugh Sheridan, Jessica Marais, Ryan Corr, Jessica McNamee and James Stewart. Rebecca Gibney said, "The cast, writers and producers have always said that we wanted to keep Rafters as one of the most-watched shows on TV. If we ever felt like we were losing too many cast members, we needed to end it on a high. We can say season six winds up an aspect of the Rafter family and there is a sense of finality to it."
A sequel series Back to the Rafters was released on Amazon Prime Video in 2021.
Overview
The first season (2008) The first season premiered on 26 August 2008. The season finale aired 24 March 2009. Season one's storylines included: Julie and Dave's 25th wedding anniversary Rachel and Nathan & Sammy moving back home Ben moving in with Carbo and getting a new flatmate, Mel An amateur porn video of Rachel and Daniel released Ben and Mel sleeping together and eventually dating Rachel's pregnancy and subsequent abortion Carbo and Chrissy's forbidden relationship Ted moving on from late wife Louise The discovery that Julie is pregnant
The second season (2009) The second season premiered on 30 June 2009. The season finale aired 24 November 2009. Season two's storylines included: Julie's pregnancy and the birth of baby Ruby Ben's heart problems Dave meeting his birth mother Chel Rachel's romance with electrician (“sparky”) Jake Barton Carbo's relationship with his mother's best friend's daughter, Artie Chrissy's crush on Dave, the demise of her friendship with Julie, and her departure Nathan's infidelity and gambling problems Ben and Mel's engagement and marriage Dave's vasectomy Sammy leaving Nathan
The third season (2010) The third season premiered on 29 June 2010. The season finale aired 16 November 2010. Season three's storylines included: Dave meeting his biological father, Tom Jennings Nathan and Sammy's separation and her subsequent departure Rachel's jealousy of baby sister Ruby Nathan donating a kidney to HIV-positive grandmother Chel Rachel's new job Ben and Mel's fertility troubles Carbo meeting a girl, Retta Julie making friends with Hamish, who develops a crush on her The Rafters meeting Tom's grandson, Coby Mel's death Chel's departure Ben and Nathan's holiday around Australia
The fourth season (2011-2012) The fourth season premiered on 8 February 2011. The season finale aired 20 March 2012. Season four's storylines included: The return of Ben and Nathan Coby's artistic flare and his outing as an artist by Rachel The finalisation of Nathan and Sammy's divorce Rachel's departure to New York Carbo and Retta's secret marriage The development of a friendship between Julie and Donna Bree's arrival & her romance with Jake and departure Ben's relationship with Donna's daughter Emma Tom's departure The introduction of Matt, the half-brother of Dave Ruby's disappearance Ted's new lease on life and becoming a mentor to Cooper Nathan's departure